Sound Scout: The Preatures Are the Ultimate Pop-Rock Band—Sans the Rockstar Complex

In music, the phrase "one to watch" gets tossed around a lot. But these days, with so many new ways to consume songs and so many new songs to consume, what make an artist actually worth listening to? In this weekly column, Teen Vogue’s resident A&R scout Liana Weston introduces you to up-and-comers who’ve got something to say both on and off their record. We’re not concerned with labels or throwing out descriptive niceties just to convince you that these artists are "the next big thing." It’s in their music and in their own words, and all you need to do is lend a curious ear.

Each featured singer or band is matched with an amazing photographer who has generously donated their time to capture these eclectic acts, because they too believe in their potential. The ground rules for our subjects? Come as you are, no professional styling or makeup, and be ready for a raw black and white guerrilla-style shoot. The portrait is paired with an amateur snapshot shared from the depths of the musician’s phone. From pop to folk and R&B to rock, these artists (much like their photographs) are unfiltered, uncensored, and unfazed.

BEFORE THE PHOTO: According to The Preatures frontwoman, who goes by Izzi, the band’s love story is pretty unromantic. Guitarist Jack and bassist Thomas (just call him Tom) went to high school together and later befriended Izzi while attending the Australian Institute of Music. The trio formed a band and soon after met vocalist/guitarist Gideon at the Lansdowne Hotel, a local dive bar. They asked him to write songs for the group and the quartet made an EP together in hopes of locking down a drummer. In 2010, they recruited Luke. As The Preatures came to fruition, Izzi waitressed, Jack taught guitar, Luke taught drums, Tom worked in a wine shop, and Gideon was at Apple for ages. But since their star status has risen, they’ve won the Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition, and have gone on to garner nominations for ARIA Awards and numerous nods from Triple J’s Hottest 100. Two EPs and one debut album later, the group has conquered Glastonbury, Bannaroo, SXSW, Splendour in the Grass, Coachella, and more, worked with Spoon’s Jim Eno, and supported the likes of P!nk and The Rolling Stones.

Writing about The Preatures is no easy feat. Not because I’m at a loss for words (that’s never been the case when it comes to this fivesome), but mainly because of a casual remark Izzi made that’s resonated with me ever since. Taking a brief tour break to ring me from her Texas hotel room, she said, "Lots of people don’t know how to discuss music anymore," adding, "There’s a blurring of genres that I think is a product of the blogosphere. Everything’s extremely accessible which is fantastic, but at the same time you’ve lost the quality of the writing—that’s why real criticism is more important than ever." If that’s not a wake-up call for fledgling music journalists, I don’t know what is. The bold and breathtaking brunette is, of course, entirely correct.

Apparently, journalism now begins and ends with 140 characters and as such, is drowning in the everyman anecdote. The same can be said for music—the sounds we consume are frequently obscured by production and stylistic nuances in attempt to compensate for actual artistry. In this autotune-dictated dystopia, The Preatures are a breath of fresh air. I came to discover this Sydney-based band when they made their New York debut more than two years ago, and we’ve come full circle together as they played last year’s annual Teen Vogue Young Hollywood fête. And while the sold-out shows, accolades, and industry praise could have gone to their rolled-out-of-bed heads, from top to tail, The Preatures have remained ever the modest and personable since our initial meet-cute.

Advertisement

They’re a rockstar paradox. These Aussies are as authentic as musicians get, so there’s no lingering appetite for a side of fancy frills or false pretense. The band is more concerned in creating a long-lasting soundscape than a fleeting moment of fame. The journalists that Izzi alluded to are quick to call the band’s style "throwback," because it already seems timeless. And let’s face the facts; it’s not hyperbolic if it’s the truth. Their live shows are mind-altering and electrifying (Izzi’s water dance is not to be missed!), and the guys are, simply put, brooding. You feel like a persona yes grata when they perform, as their catchy songs are all-encompassing, making you believe that nothing matters more at that moment than their music. So the question remains: Why don’t your parents already know who The Preatures are? They’re that cool. It’s only a matter of time until the whole fam’s jamming out to them, too. Just wait.

ON THE HORIZON: "We’re currently on the road and have just announced our North American tour return supporting our debut, Blue Planet Eyes. The album has been a long time coming for us but it’s also just the beginning. We’ve been working our way towards it, but it also feels like a record of the band right now. It’s not like our manifesto or anything but the main thing was just getting it out and in time where we could still feel great about it. That is what’s most important for us—and for anyone making music really."

WHO ARE THE PREATURES: "I would describe our music very simply—we’re rock pop soul. That’s what we do. But the record sounds like The Modern Lovers ended up at the beach with Bonnie Raitt. We’ve been a band for five years, and that’s both kind of a long time and kind of not for a group. In the end, we’re still underdogs. For us it’s completely word of mouth. We don’t do typical promotion. We’re not coming in with big stories or a whole lot of backers, we’re just taking it one day at a time. I think we all just really wanted it and we had heard stories about groups who don’t quite get it together and it’s always because one member wasn’t committed. You all have to be committed and everyone has to make certain personal sacrifices. It’s about keeping the band happy because all these great things can be happening around you but if you don’t feel good about it or excited, you can’t give what you should be giving in energy on stage or anywhere else."

WHAT MAKES YOU WORTH LISTENING TO: "We don’t want to be rock ’n’ roll performers forever. There’s something about it that has to end at some point because it’s essentially whatever is useful that pushes the boundaries at that time. We want to be songwriters and be able to write music for people to sing moving forward. What makes any band different is hard to say about yourself, but I know that our live shows are unique from that of others. I always thought I wanted to be the sort of performer who was like Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, and Alison Mosshart. I really want to put on shows that make the audience feel like they’re terrified and in ecstasy all at the same time. That’s a great show to me. If that makes me different, I don’t know. But I think it makes us who we are as performers."

Photographed by anonymous, courtesy of The Preatures.

Advertisement

SCENE AND HEARD: "On our way to Amsterdam, which was the halfway mark on our European tour. We found everything we needed at this one-stop shop." - Tom

Prepare to do all sorts of preaching now that you’ve found The Preatures. #blessed.